TDMA vs GSM (ATT)? Which phone?

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Technically GSM is "TDMA." but a better
implemented version. Time Division Multiple
Access (GSM) style has some shortcomings, i.e,
spectrum utilization and speed for data purposes.
Cheerio, hip,hip old chap. Regards

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> "RPS" <rps@null.void> wrote in message
> news:020820040349081549%rps@null.void...
> > I have the ATT TDMA service (national plan, but mostly used in Chicago
> > area, Indiana, Wsconsin and Minnesota). Today when I was browsing in
> > one of their stores, a salesman suggested I switch to their GSM
> > service. Is that good idea, bad idea, or it's-the-same-thing kind of
> > idea? (I don't need international service.)
> >


ATTWS is encouraging their customers to "upgrade" to GSM. If TDMA works as
well for you as it does for me, and if you do not require data transmission
capabilities, you should stay where you are. If it ain't broke, don't fix
it.

Depending on your location, you may find that your GSM service is
unavailable in rural areas--areas where there IS either digital (TDMA) or
analog coverage. My TDMA phone can be handed off to an analog network if
there is no digital service--a GSM phone cannot. It just dies. Heaven
forbid that you have a breakdown or other emergency and you are in a non-GSM
area. What good is that fancy phone, with all those bells and whistles,
then?

I have read that most ATTWS reps know full well that customers will get more
reliable service on TDMA for now, but they obviously give the company pitch
to switch. Unfortunately, most of the postings I've read here have
expressed frustration that there is no way to return to the old TDMA plan if
one is dissatisfied with GSM--especially if you were on a grandfathered
plan.

If you do decide to test GSM, it might be wise to keep your old TDMA plan
active for the first month, while you experiment with GSM. You can cancel
any new ATTWS service without penalty in the first 30 days. Admittedly, you
will incur extra expense maintaining two phone plans for that one month, but
it is your insurance that you can change your mind if the GSM service does
not meet your expectations.

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Jeremy <jeremy@nospam.thanks.com> wrote:

> especially if you were on a grandfathered plan...

Via grandfathering and incentives along the way my $35 TDMA plan gives
me 850 anytime minues, unlimited night and weekends. So I am not about
to give it up lightly.

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"RPS" <rps@null.void> wrote in message
news:030820040959346964%rps@null.void...
> Jeremy <jeremy@nospam.thanks.com> wrote:
>
> > especially if you were on a grandfathered plan...
>
> Via grandfathering and incentives along the way my $35 TDMA plan gives
> me 850 anytime minues, unlimited night and weekends. So I am not about
> to give it up lightly.

Well, you certainly won't be able to get it back if you do give it up! I
have a $30 TDMA plan, unlimited mobile-to-mobile 24/7, including free long
distance, 7 pm nights, unlimited nights & weekends, free long distance at
all times, 650 minutes anytime (but I rarely use even half of them, because
I make most of my calls nights or mobile-to-mobile, which are always free)
and only a one-year commitment. I am not about to give my plan up, either.

ATTWS rep told me yesterday that TDMA will stay on for at least 5 more
years, possibly 10 years, so I am in no mood to switch. I just bought
another brand new TDMA phone on eBay last week, to keep as a spare.

I prefer reliability and economy over bells and whistles, and TDMA is a
better fit for me.

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Jeremy <jeremy@nospam.thanks.com> wrote:

> ... I have a $30 TDMA plan, unlimited mobile-to-mobile 24/7, including
> free long distance, 7 pm nights, unlimited nights & weekends, free long
> distance at all times, 650 minutes anytime...

That is excellent!

> I just bought another brand new TDMA phone on eBay last week, to keep
> as a spare.

What did you get and how much?

What are good TDMA phones that will work with ATT? (My old clunker is
ready to retire to its proper use: as a weight for wrist exercises!)

I have been looking at Nokia 3560 and 6560 on Ebay. What is a good Ebay
price for these?

Are there other phones you consider better? I don't need bells and
whistles but kind of like the idea of speakerphone for hands off use in
the car.

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On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 15:47:31 GMT, lvdlrs <lvdlrs@midsouth.rr.com>
wrote:

>I have ATTWS GSM in Northern Mississippi and work in an area still
>relatively rural. While true I cannot make or receive calls, which
>I really don't like and who does, my phone tells me that it will
>take emergency calls only.

Meaning that it's using either T-Mobile or cingular.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
remove NONO from .NONOcom to reply

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"RPS" <rps@null.void> wrote in message
news:030820041234012992%rps@null.void...
>
> What did you get and how much?
>

I have Panasonic Versio phones. I bought my first one from ATT, when my
Ericsson LX588 flip phone broke. The Ericsson had a very poorly designed
antenna mount--I broke 2 antennas. It also had a weak switch in the flip
hinge. The plastic cracked, and the phone would no longer work.

I didn't like the Panasonic phone at first. No flip. A "bar" phone. But
it was reliable as could be, and it had better reception in fringe areas.
It also had a speakerphone, and I found that quite a nifty feature, because
I could talk without holding the phone against my head (and, thus,
minimizing the risk of radiation).

The lithium-ion battery has been much easier to charge than the NiMH battery
on the Ericsson (that battery required regular conditioning--full discharge
followed by full recharge). The battery was much lighter and smaller than
the Ericsson battery.

The Versio is a multi-network phone. Works in digital and analog service
areas (not so important now, but it was a real concern 3 years ago).

The phone has never given me a moment's trouble. It just keeps on working
(I did have to replace the battery after 2 years, but that is to be
expected). It is as reliable a phone as I've ever seen. No bells and
whistles, no clamshell or flip design, but it is a handsome unit and it has
none of the design deficiencies of the Ericsson flip phones.

If you want a solid, reliable TDMA performer, I can't speak highly enough
about this particular model. Panasonic has a subsequent model, called the
Allure, that added voice dialing and more autodial locations.

There may be other reliable phones like this, but I can vouch only for the
model that I am most familiar with. I would not consider a flip phone or a
clamshell phone anymore. Too much potential for breakage.

I bought 3 new ones for $60.00 total! Used ones are even cheaper, and
because the phone is so rugged, a used phone typically has a lot of life
left in it. You can't go wrong with a Versio (unless you want color
screens, bells and whistles . . . )



> What are good TDMA phones that will work with ATT? (My old clunker is
> ready to retire to its proper use: as a weight for wrist exercises!)
>
> I have been looking at Nokia 3560 and 6560 on Ebay. What is a good Ebay
> price for these?
>
> Are there other phones you consider better? I don't need bells and
> whistles but kind of like the idea of speakerphone for hands off use in
> the car.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular,alt.cellular.attws,alt.cellular.nokia,alt.cellular.tech,alt.cellular.telephones (More info?)

"Jeremy" <jeremy@nospam.thanks.com> wrote in message
news:XdUPc.24520$iK.2804@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>
> "RPS" <rps@null.void> wrote in message
> news:030820041234012992%rps@null.void...
> >
> > What did you get and how much?
> >
>
> I have Panasonic Versio phones. I bought my first one from ATT, when
my
> Ericsson LX588 flip phone broke. The Ericsson had a very poorly
designed
> antenna mount--I broke 2 antennas. It also had a weak switch in the
flip
> hinge. The plastic cracked, and the phone would no longer work.
>
> I didn't like the Panasonic phone at first. No flip. A "bar" phone.
But
> it was reliable as could be, and it had better reception in fringe
areas.
> It also had a speakerphone, and I found that quite a nifty feature,
because
> I could talk without holding the phone against my head (and, thus,
> minimizing the risk of radiation).
>
> The lithium-ion battery has been much easier to charge than the NiMH
battery
> on the Ericsson (that battery required regular conditioning--full
discharge
> followed by full recharge). The battery was much lighter and smaller
than
> the Ericsson battery.
>
> The Versio is a multi-network phone. Works in digital and analog
service
> areas (not so important now, but it was a real concern 3 years ago).
>
> The phone has never given me a moment's trouble. It just keeps on
working
> (I did have to replace the battery after 2 years, but that is to be
> expected). It is as reliable a phone as I've ever seen. No bells and
> whistles, no clamshell or flip design, but it is a handsome unit and
it has
> none of the design deficiencies of the Ericsson flip phones.
>
> If you want a solid, reliable TDMA performer, I can't speak highly
enough
> about this particular model. Panasonic has a subsequent model, called
the
> Allure, that added voice dialing and more autodial locations.
>
> There may be other reliable phones like this, but I can vouch only for
the
> model that I am most familiar with. I would not consider a flip phone
or a
> clamshell phone anymore. Too much potential for breakage.
>
> I bought 3 new ones for $60.00 total! Used ones are even cheaper, and
> because the phone is so rugged, a used phone typically has a lot of
life
> left in it. You can't go wrong with a Versio (unless you want color
> screens, bells and whistles . . . )
>
>
>
> > What are good TDMA phones that will work with ATT? (My old clunker
is
> > ready to retire to its proper use: as a weight for wrist exercises!)
> >
> > I have been looking at Nokia 3560 and 6560 on Ebay. What is a good
Ebay
> > price for these?
> >
> > Are there other phones you consider better? I don't need bells and
> > whistles but kind of like the idea of speakerphone for hands off use
in
> > the car.
>
I bought a Nokia 6360 a few weeks ago, specifically for its analog
capability; it can manage a good signal across 15 miles of open water at
my summer place, while my daughter's all-digital phone (with colour
screen, games, fancy ringtones, etc.) might as well be a brick.

The 6360 will also hold service along big stretches of rural BC
highways, where GSM is still several years away. A good "safety
device", it also offers a larger screen than my last one, with bigger
fonts, and good batttery life so far.

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Jeremy <jeremy@nospam.thanks.com> wrote:

> I have previously praised Panasonic Versio phones on this NG...

Thank you very much for your kind feedback. This has put Panasonic on
my list!

I have basically concluded that Nokia 6560, though I like it, is simply
too expensive.

If someone has experience with Nokia 3560 and Panasonic versio/allure,
I would be grateful for a comparison. They go for comparable prices on
Ebay.

Do you find the panasonic's speakerphone useful (eg, loud enough in car
with some road noise)?